There is NO donation to GFR for each volunteer on this trip. 

Volunteers are responsible for purchasing their international airfare and covering the cost of their food, hotel, and minimal transportation.  You will work at our partner’s warehouse in Chisinau.  You can come as a group of 4 or we will partner you with other volunteers.  Each group of 4 will have 1-2 medical providers, 1-2 nurses, or 1 nurse and 1 Paramedic or EMT.  Within the parameter of every 6-7 weeks, you can set your own date if you come as a group.

About the trip: Join Global First Responder as we return for the 5th time to Chisinau, Moldova to provide primary care for Ukrainian Refugees and Moldovans unable to access care.  Moldova is Europe’s poorest country, and providing care here means the world to our patients as well as to displaced Ukrainians.

Chisinau is a beautiful, interesting and safe city with excellent food and readily available transportation.  You will be provided with a list of hotels and restaurants in a wide price range and your hosts will take excellent care of you.  Our partner organization is a large humanitarian organization based in the UK whose mission is to stop human trafficking and reduce the effects of poverty, crime, and conflict to people in England, Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, and now Turkey and Syria during this most recent humanitarian crisis.

During clinic you will treat common illnesses with antibiotics and other acute medications, provide refills on medications that patients are stable on for 4-6 months, and provide over-the-counter medications for 4-6 months of use.  Your translators are outstanding and will expertly translate your discussions with your patients.  They will also write out and educate your patients on how to take their medications properly, safe storage of medications, and how to obtain follow-up if needed.

Sustainability: With your help, GFR provides meaningful health education to all patients.  As an example, in 2022 in Senegal we focused on education on puberty and cleaner living spaces for the 750+ street children we cared for.  GFR also provides critical infrastructure in the communities where we work, including building or retrofitting schools and medical clinics and permanent water treatment facilities.

In Moldova, we will be working behind the scenes to ensure that needed medications are available at no cost for the immediate future and partnering with our partner to continue their efforts in to reduce danger and improve health in displaced persons.  As the current political situation stabilizes, we will begin more permanent projects.

Arrivals and Departures: Your trip officially starts on Saturday (dates will vary, every 6-7 weeks starting in late April/early May) .  Your team of 4 will be responsible for your airfare, hotel, and food and GFR will be responsible for all supplies and medical needs.  You will receive the arrival and departure information approximately 2 months prior to departure.  Because of the instability in the region, we recommend trip insurance and a good medical evacuation policy.  We will keep you 100% informed as your trip date approaches.  

Please see the “After the trip” section for some ideas if you wish to extend your trip.

What’s Included: THERE IS NO PAYMENT DUE TO GFR FOR THIS PROJECT.  We are facilitating your work with our partner organization to provide medical care.  GFR will provide supplies and medicine and additional funds for humanitarian efforts in partnership with the needs of the community.  Construction or water purification (for clean drinking water in a community) ​may be one of our sustainability projects in Chisinau, based on community need​, in the future.

What’s Not Included: Your international airfare, pre/post trip travel costs and expenses, hotel, food, and transportation. Trip insurance is not included.

Cost: THERE IS NO DIRECT FEE TO GFR FOR THIS TRIP.  The exact cost of the trip will be determined by the hotel and restaurants you choose. Nice and safe inexpensive hotels and restaurant are nearby to where you will be holding clinic each day.  You will be provided with lists of recommended hotels, restaurants, and taxis.

You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times.  We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or cancelled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier.  This trip is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.  You will need to save your receipts and deduct your expenses when you do your taxes for 2023.

If you wish to provide a donation to GFR for additional supplies, this donation will be tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

How is your cost calculated?: At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high.   We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical and construction missions around the world and here at home.  The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses in country including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses.  HOWEVER, on this trip, you are responsible for paying these expenses and GFR does not require any payment.  At GFR, no one is paid a salary and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.

After the trip: The region is at your fingertips!  The train is a very easy way to get around and flights to the major capitals around Moldova are inexpensive.

Click here to apply for this trip: I WANT TO JOIN GFR in CHISINAU, MOLDOVA 

If this is your first time applying in our new application system, please create a login and password.  You may use this login and password for all future trips you apply for (and we hope to see you on LOTS of GFR trips!!)

ITINERARY

This is a sample itinerary to show you how your time will be spent in Moldova.  As always, you need to be flexible!

Friday:  Arrive in Chisinau.   Take a taxi to your hotel and make contact with your host.  Today is a great day for you to get organized and rest up for a week of work.  GFR already has supplies and medications in Moldova, staged for your arrival.

Saturday:  Clinic.   You will leave for the clinic location (an indoor warehouse) at a pre-arranged time and after a short orientation with our partner organization, hold a medical clinic for 50-75 patients, depending on the capabilities of your team of 4.

Sunday: Clinic.   As before you will arrange for a taxi and work all day with our partner organization’s help and guidance.  Our partners will provide logistical support and patient registration and record keeping.

Monday: Clinic. 

Tuesday:  Rest Day.  Today is a rest day for the team.  You can do some sightseeing, take a hike, or do a little shopping.  The day is yours and we hope you take this needed break.  However, if your group chooses to work, this can be arranged.

Wednesday: Clinic

Thursday: Clinic.  

Saturday: Departures.